


Fate loves the fearless

by spymaster



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Closure, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, If Max had the third choice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 07:16:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15925529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spymaster/pseuds/spymaster
Summary: What if Max has another choice instead of the two given in the game?What if Max doesn't have to sacrifice Chloe or Arcadia Bay?(This is written because I really need closure for myself after the ending).





	Fate loves the fearless

**Author's Note:**

> My first Pricefield fic. I haven't read any Pricefield fic or any Life is Strange fic for that matter, so this fic would seem strange.
> 
> All mistakes are mine.

**_Friday, October 11th,..._ **

  
  


The rain had dampened her head for who knew how long. The cold had seared into her skin, shaking her bones and clashing her teeth. The only warmth she felt was from the girl next to her. She breathed out in relief.

 

_ Chloe is here. Chloe is safe. Chloe is with me. _

 

Her heart beat with joy, worries, happiness, and a tad of fright. The erratic pumps alerted her that she was no longer trapped in the limitless prison of her mind, but she was here, with Chloe. The broken reality had fucked up her brain, and her endless attempts to fix things had fucked up the timeline.

 

But no matter how fucked up everything was, she saved Chloe. Chloe was still here.

 

Suddenly, Chloe’s steady arm loosened around her as she stood straight to observe the horrid event occurring right in front of them. Here, on the uphill near the lighthouse, they could easily saw what was coming to Arcadia Bay. A giant tornado with the destructive force of nature slowly drifted to the bay, making its obvious path. The lightning added occasional flashes of terror, reminding Max of this reality.

 

The end was happening.

 

“This is my storm. I caused this…” Max claimed with fear in her voice. “I caused all of this.” She glanced at Chloe, who was also captured by the size of the tornado. “I changed fate and destiny so much that I actually did alter the course of everything.”

 

Chloe seemed confused at first, then also scared. She didn’t reply just yet, probably was processing what Max was telling her. But Max knew better. She had done this.

 

“And all I really created was just death and destruction!” Max shouted in anger. At herself, at the storm, at the rain. She was so furious at how helpless she was at the moment, considering how powerful the ability she somehow gained had made her feel.

 

Max was powerless.

 

She cried, her tears got blended with the rain. It felt so exhausted, after everything she had gone through, more obstacles still came. Max wanted to sit down and just have a moment to breathe. So ironically how the person who could turn back time barely had a moment to herself.

 

She felt a slight force on her shoulder. Chloe reached out to her, with the usual confidence and her stubborn attitude. “Fuck all of that, okay? You were given a power. You didn’t ask for it… and you saved me. Which had to happen, all of this did… except for what happened to Rachel.” Chloe paused. Max could see the pain still in her eyes. Fuck, Chloe didn’t even have a solid day to mourn Rachel. Everything just wanted to come crashing down on both of them, without mercy. “But without your power, we wouldn’t have found her! Okay, so you’re not the goddamn Time Master, but you’re  _ Maxine Caulfield _ and you’re amazing.”

 

The way Chloe called Max with her full name ached something in Max. She never wanted to be called Maxine ever, but only when Chloe did it, it felt right. It felt goddamn right to her, and for the first time since their crazy adventure began, Max saw something she didn’t have a second to really grasp it.

 

She loved Chloe. Max loved her with every bit of her existence. She loved Chloe in a wild and insane way that she had never felt like it with anyone before.

 

Max turned to look at the storm, then back at Chloe. The solemn twinkle in Chloe’s eyes had told her what her friend was thinking.

 

“Max, this is the only way,” Chloe started, stepping into the territory that Max was afraid of: the truth. Chloe took out the picture of the blue butterfly from her back pocket and handed it to Max.

 

She took it with a heavy heart. “I feel like I took this shot a thousand years ago.” Max stepped forward, dreading the moment of decision. She hated how weak she felt at the moment, knowing there were only two choices. Arcadia Bay or Chloe.

 

“You could use that photo to change everything right back to when you took that picture,” Chloe suggested, her voice began to shake. When Max looked at her, Chloe took a moment to met the eyes. “All that would take for me to… to…” Chloe buried her face in her hands, weeping.

 

“Fuck that!” Max shouted, “No, no way! You are my number one priority now.” She said it and she meant it. Chloe was what mattered. “You are  _ all _ that matters to me.”

 

Chloe retreated her hands, eyebrows knitted in a desperate frown. “I know. You proved that over and over again… even though I don’t deserve it.” Her friend was sobbing with the vulnerability of the thirteen-year-old Chloe who wore the pirate outfit and did silly things with Max. “I’m so selfish, not like my mom. Look what she had to give up and live through. And she did. She deserves so much more than to be killed by a storm in a fucking diner.” Chloe choked, wiping her nose as she continued. “Even my step… father deserves her alive.”

 

Chloe didn’t call David  _ step-douche _ , and somehow that threw a stab at Max’s chest.

 

_ No, don’t do this. _ Max wanted to cry out but she couldn’t dare to disturb Chloe in what was considered to be her will.

 

“There’s so many more people in Arcadia Bay who should live, way more than me,” Chloe continued with grief on her face.

 

“Don’t say that. I won’t trade you,” Max reflected the same grief. She didn’t want to hear anything that was pointing toward the only outcome she hated. But who was she to decide what to do? Max was just a speck in time.

 

“You’re not trading me. Maybe you’ve just been delaying my real destiny.” Chloe stepped closer, trying her best to convince Max, apparently. Max had always loved how persuasive her friend was but right now, she hated that. “Look at how many times I’ve almost died or actually died around you. Look at what’s happened in Arcadia Bay ever since you first saved me.”

 

Max had to turn away. Her heart couldn’t bear the sight of a hopeless Chloe. Not again.

 

“I know I’ve been selfish,” Chloe’s voice rang clearly even in the midst of a giant storm. “But for once I think I should accept my fate.  _ Our _ fate.”

 

“Chloe…” Max pled in tears.

 

“Max, you finally came back to me this week, and you did nothing but show me your love and friendship,” Chloe spoke slower as if she had determined to turn these words immortal. “You made me smile and laugh like I haven’t done in years.”  _ Please, Chloe. Don’t say it like a goodbye. _ Her blue-haired friend was fidgeting constantly on her feet, like she was about to sprint straight into the tornado, giving herself up. “Whatever I end up after this, in whatever reality, all those moments between us were real, and they’ll always be ours. No matter what you choose, I know you’ll make the right decision.”

 

Max hopelessly turned to her friend, knees shaking. “Chloe, I can’t  _ make _ this choice.”

 

Chloe rushed to her, grabbing her arms and her voice softened, “No, Max. You’re the only one who can.” And Max knew Chloe was right.

 

They stood there, still, drenched in the rain, eyes glued to eyes. There wasn’t much to be said, except for the farewell.

 

It had come down to this, to the moment Max was stuck between two terrible choices. Maybe Chloe was right. Maybe she had prolonged the inevitable for so long. Maybe fate had always wanted to take Chloe away. Like it did to Rachel.

 

Max looked down, not being able to say the word or to look into Chloe’s eyes. How could she do it when it was the last time she could be with Chloe. This Chloe, the person for whom she had done so much to keep alive just to be put in front of another blade. A blade that Max could never rewind fast enough.

 

“Max, it’s time,” Chloe said and slowly stepped back.

 

Max sensed the tears flowing out even faster than before as she choked out, “Chloe… I’m so, so sorry… I-I don’t want to do this.” Her friend wrapped her in a tight hug and she immediately fell into the familiar warmth that she dearly loved. Eventually, Chloe pulled back.

 

“I know, Max. But we have to. We have to save everybody, okay?” Chloe’s eyes reddened. She gritted her teeth. “And you’ll make those fuckers pay for what they did to Rachel.”

 

Max nodded, firmly.

 

“Being together this week, it was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for.” Chloe smiled sadly, then the smile got wider. “You’re my hero, Max.”

 

Max’s feet found their paces to walk forward. Then her hands found Chloe’s cheeks. And their lips touched. It tasted like grief, sadness, goodbye, and the bittersweet drops of something unsaid. Chloe pushed against her, deepening the poor-fortunate kiss that had found its path to them.

 

This was farewell.

 

When Max finally pulled back, she could barely breathe. This was it. This was her final moment with Chloe. She wasn’t the person who would have their life taken away, but she felt exactly like it. Without Chloe, her life would have a hole that nothing could ever fill.

 

“I’ll always love you,” Chloe muttered, stepping away from her. “Now get out of here, please! Do it before I freak.” Max wanted to follow her, but the stern gaze in Chloe’s eyes warned her not to. “And Max Caulfield? Don’t you forget about me…”

 

“Never,” Max answered with certainty. She couldn’t even see Chloe clearly anymore. Her eyes got swollen up, her nose stuck. but the worst pain was in her chest.

 

The best friend that she would die for.

 

The first girl she loved,

 

The person who knew her better than herself.

 

Chloe Price.

 

_ What would I do without you? _

  
  
  


____________________

  
  
  
  
  


**_Monday, October 7th,..._ **

  
  


The picture brought her back to the girl’s bathroom, with the flash from the polaroid reminding her that this was the reality now.

 

Max dropped the picture and took a peek at the door. Nathan Prescott would come in here any minute to do what he had been destined to do.

 

Deep inside Max’s heart, she knew that she wanted to return to the storm and just screw everything just to see Chloe safe again. But at what cost? The lives of thousands of people over Chloe. Would she be selfish?  _ Could _ she be selfish?

 

The door burst open, Max turned away.

 

Nathan’s voice echoed in fear between the walls, but none of the words got into Max’s ears. She knew what would happen, and she dreaded every single second of it.

 

The girl she loved.

 

“I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say.” Chloe’s voice finally joined the scene, deepening the fact that her life was about to end. Max felt the thrusts of Chloe’s pushing the door of the bathroom stalls open to check.

 

_ What if Chloe saw her? _

 

“Now, let’s talk bidness.”

 

“I got nothing for you,” Nathan grunted.

 

“Wrong. You got hella cash,” Chloe argued.

 

Max couldn’t see this, couldn’t hear this, couldn’t go through this again.

 

Her fragile heart was strong for such a long time, now it was  _ so _ tired. Why was life so fucking unfair? It cheated them all the time.

 

“You don’t know who the fuck I am or who you’re messing around with!”

 

_ Fate fucks with me for giving me this ability just to watch Chloe die. _

 

“Where’d you get that?”

 

_ If fate can fuck with me, I can fuck with it too! _

 

“What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!”

 

“Don’t  _ ever _ tell me what to do. I’m so  _ sick _ of people trying to control me!”

 

_ I’m so sick of fate trying to control me. _

 

“You’re going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs.”

 

“Nobody would ever even miss your punk ass, would they?”

 

Max had made her decision, and she knew it was the most stupid one, but she would not go through hell to have everything go back to where it was.

 

She got on her feet and rushed out of the hiding spot. And she did what she should have always done.

 

“Nathan, stop!” Max shouted. The boy with the gun in hand that was pointing at Chloe turned around.

 

A flash. Then a bang.

 

Max took in the impact, but she never knew it was so heavy to fall flat on the floor without any attempt to reduce the hit. Her head smashed on the hard textiles.  _ Ouch. _

 

Funny how being shot wasn’t as painful as having your head smashed onto the ground. Max laughed to herself but only inside. Her eyes strained at a freaked out Nathan who had thrown the gun away, running back and forth to her. Chloe was still standing in a corner, frozen and scared. She must have felt lucky that it would have happened to her.

 

_ Gotcha. _

 

Max felt Nathan’s stompings rush left and right but her eyes never left the girl with blue hair. She knew she would pass out due to blood loss soon enough, and this numbness would disappear to give place for the pain. But that was okay.

 

Chloe was safe again.

 

Her fingers reached out to Chloe, who was covering her mouth after the frightened shout  _ Max _ . Max tried to smile when Chloe snapped at Nathan, telling him to get help. Her friend rushed to her side before Nathan ran out of the bathroom.

 

“Max? Oh my God, Max!” Chloe crouched down, wanting to touch her but retreating her hands to take off the leather jacket... “No, no, no, no, no! You’ll be fine. I will bring you to the hospital.”

 

Max shook her head but didn’t fight when Chloe made an attempt to lift her up from the bloody floor. She felt like she was snapped in half when Chloe eventually stood up, staggering. Tears were swelling in those beautiful blue eyes.

 

It was worth it to be in Chloe’s arms once again, even in this timeline, their adventure was just a dream from a long time ago.

 

“Hi… again,” Max muttered as Chloe walked out of the bathroom. A few people who had heard the gunshot had come running including Nathan.

 

“Shut up, Max,” Chloe grunted, her mouth crooked. “You came back for a week and you didn’t even bother to see me. Now the first time we meet again is this? I don’t allow it. Why the fuck were you in the bathroom in the first place?”

 

Max didn’t mind being scolded by Chloe for her stupidity. She gazed up at the gentle blue streaks and answered, “I came back for you.”

 

“I told you to shut up!” Chloe snapped, running to the doors. The students were standing in horror in the corner of Max’s eyes. In the moment of having death gripping around the ankle, Max suddenly saw everything clearly in slow-motion. The principal, Victoria, Kate, Warren, Dana, even motherfucking Jefferson. “Save your fucking breath and live. Then you can say whatever the fuck you want! Please!”

 

The pain began to take over Max. This was it. Max got afraid a little at the idea of dying, but at least, she had done it. She had protected Chloe one more time.

 

“I love you, Chloe.”

 

And before her vision was gone along with the senses of steady hands, Max thought she heard Chloe saying it back.

 

But it was impossible, right? Their adventure and the Chloe who would say that to her had been left there on top of the hill as the storm passed by, in another crazy timeline.

 

Still, it was good, at least, to leave the world knowing you had used your time to the fullest and save the person who deserved it the most.

  
  
  
  


___________________

  
  
  
  
  


It was cold.

 

Was death cold?

 

Max had no idea, she had never been dead before. She was lying down, just like after the bullet hit her. But there was no pain. No more pain.

 

She sat up and looked around. It was dark and the only thing she could tell was the uneven ground was she on. This smelled like... dirt.

 

_ Where am I? Heaven or… hell? _

 

Max chuckled to herself. According to whatever she had done just to gain what she wanted for the past days, seven hells wouldn’t be enough. She had left town, left Chloe, left her childhood behind, then returned with the steps of a stranger. History reached back to her and giving her the most unique journey to rediscover the people she used to know, to learn about other new ones, and having a new perspective on everything.

 

Still, it could be a crime to mess with time.

 

Maybe this was another loop of punishment that time had set out for her final act against fate. Max accepted it.

 

She spotted some light at a far distance and walked to it. It seemed like a trap like in horror movies, but Max had nowhere else to go. She approached the light and realized with was a fire.

 

There was a rusty car nearby, then a bush, a broken bike, a few bottles. Max gasped when she noticed the familiarity. This was the junkyard where Chloe always hung out. And also the place where they found Rachel’s body.

 

A cold sensation ran down her spines, but Max didn’t run. For what? She was dead already. Nothing could make it worse.

 

She took a breath and approached the fire, sitting down on the log. It felt warmer, drawing her toward the flickering light. Max stretched her hands closer to the fire, smiling softly. She had thought death would be horrible, or something similar to her nightmare, but it felt peaceful.

 

“Another one?”

 

A voice startled Max. She didn’t expect anyone’s presence in this Afterworld land. At least that was how it seemed to be. Max stood up and turned around. A familiar face appeared, the face that Max had seen a lot on flyers, in conversations, in every story.

 

The face of the most mysterious puzzle of Arcadia Bay: Rachel Amber.

 

Max observed the girl in front of her. She had the same height, and her style was recognizable. Rachel was wearing the light blue shirt with the long plaid outside, ripped tights, and black sneakers. The most iconic feature about her was the blue feather earring that was always in every picture Max saw of her.

 

Rachel stared at Max, confused and curious, but mostly surprised. Her sharp eyes glanced up and down on Max, then she sighed.

 

“Nathan?” Her voice was pointy and clear as if she wanted the world to listen. Everyone said she was something special, and Max agreed. She realized Rachel was asking about her connection with the Prescott boy. Or rather, her  _ death _ .

 

“Yes,” Max muttered with sadness, “My name is Max. You are Rachel, am I right?”

 

The girl in blue plaid smiled with a matching sorrow. “It’s been a while since I last heard someone calling my name. I see that you’ve found my spot.” Rachel gestured the fire.

 

Max wondered if she should add that she knew this was the place where she and Chloe had found Rachel’s body, but she was afraid it would be too much for the unfortunate girl. “Can I join you?”

 

“Sure. Not like I have anything else to do or anyone to visit.” Rachel sat down on the log, kicking a piece of wood into the flame. “What’s your story, Max? Wait, your name is familiar.” The girl narrowed her eyes, blinking for a moment, then cursed. “Fuck.  _ Max Caulfield _ ? Chloe’s friend?”

 

Rachel’s unexpected knowledge about Max caught her off-guard. She nodded timidly, “Yes. How do you know?”

 

“Chloe told me about you sometimes,” Rachel said with a wide grin. “You two had quite a history. I’m envious.”

 

Max couldn’t help but raising eyebrows. “Why?”

 

“Because your friendship was real. My entire life was based on a lie.” Rachel chuckled bitterly. “Considering who killed me, perhaps my death was a lie, too.”

 

Max’s fingers fiddled among themselves. “You were thought to leave town. Only Chloe thought you were missing.”

 

“Of course, she did.” The dark chuckling continued. “She really thought I would never leave without her.”

 

“Did you two plan to leave Arcadia Bay together?” Max asked, couldn’t help being curious.

 

Rachel threw her a pointy look. “Did she tell you that?”

 

Max shrugged. “Yes. Chloe talked about you a lot.”

 

Rachel nodded, acknowledged. “I wanted to leave town with her, too. I thought I have everything figured out. But…” She trailed off, let the silence do the talking. “How was she?”

 

“Chloe missed you. So much,” Max answered truthfully, cooling down the ache inside her chest. She knew that Chloe had said she loved her but that timeline had been erased. The reality now was a heartbroken Chloe who had nobody by her side. “You were her angel.”

 

Rachel’s eyes widened, then watered, glowing slightly in the light of the fire. “That’s… so unlike Chloe, but somehow I can imagine her saying that.”

 

Max saw how happy Chloe looked, and she felt happy, too. It was strange. She didn’t know Rachel, and even felt jealous of her, but when Rachel smiled, everything about her was so pure and warm. Rachel Amber was a really likable person.

 

“Why are you here?” Max decided to state her concern. “How can we meet like this?”

 

Rachel propped her chin on one hand, tilting her head. “I assume that we meet because we have the same killer. Hmm, Nathan Prescott had guts. That fucking devil.”

 

Max shook her head. “He did shoot me, but he wasn’t the real evil, Rachel.”

 

The other girl observed her with a frown. “What do you mean?”

 

Taking a deep breath, Max recalled the first moment when she received the abnormal power of rewinding time and decided to share Rachel. “It’s a long story, but I suppose we have time for it.”

  
  
  
  


__________________________

  
  
  
  
  


Rachel had been shouting for about five minutes after hearing Max’s story. To be honest, Max had expected a wilder reaction, so she waited until Rachel had calmed down. The fierce girl with a baseball bat she found somewhere in the junkyard was still smashing everything around her, multiple curse words had flown out of her mouth (the most used was  _ fuck _ ). While Rachel was unleashing her fury, Max had the time to recall her life and how it ended.

 

She wondered how her parents would find out. Grief was a horrible experience, and she never wanted her parents to go through, but she also couldn’t live with herself if she had to let Chloe die. At this point in history, Chloe was all alone, nobody reached out to her or tried to be around her for a moment. No one got her back.

 

Max knew she was being selfish. She wanted to save Chloe so bad she had accepted being shot in a dirty bathroom. How would Chloe deal with seeing her die? Why must they always be apart? There was no way for them to be together, wasn’t it?

 

Rachel threw the bat away eventually and dropping onto the spot next to Max. She panted heavily, wiping hair off her face with both hands in frustration.

 

“Fuck you, Mark Jefferson!” Rachel yelled into the void. The dark ceiling above echoed her voice, sending it above and beyond. “It was all him. How could I be stupid, thinking he was a good man?” Tears began to stream down Rachel’s face.

 

For the first time, Max reached out to touch Rachel’s shoulder. It was a moment of truth. When her palm sensed the warmth of Rachel, Max knew that she was here with her. Dead.

 

“I trusted him too,” she said, rubbing her thumb on Rachel’s shoulder in consolation. “He fooled everyone, even Nathan.”

 

Rachel wiped her tears and turned to Max. “And what will happen now? Would he be exposed? You’re not there to do it anymore.”

 

“I… I don’t know,” Max admitted sadly, “I just hope that everything might still go in the same way, just that I’m the dead one, not Chloe.”

 

Rachel gulped, sitting straighter. “You really have gone through a lot to save Chloe. You’re such a good friend.”

 

Max blinked, retreating her hands to wrap them around herself. “Chloe is more than just a friend to me.”

 

“Oh…”

 

The conversation seemed to have a dip. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Max felt a bit uncomfortable so she turned away but Rachel grabbed her arm. “Hmm?”

 

“It seems like we have another thing in common,” Rachel smiled, “We both have a soft spot for Chloe Price.”

 

Max chuckled, then eventually burst out snickering. The girl with the feather earring grinned and joined her. They laughed, side by side, like new friends in kindergarten.

 

“What now, Rachel?” Max asked when their laughter died down. “What have you been doing here all this time?”

 

Rachel stood up and hopped to sit on the hood of the rusty car. She crossed her legs, looking down at Max. “I’m not sure. I just know that I’m dead and killed by Nathan Prescott. All of this place is mine. Yours, too, now since you’ve joined me here. We can be Queens of this Fucking-Dead-Land. I’ve always wanted to leave town, and now I’m stuck forever in the junkyard where my body was dumped. How ironic is it?”

 

Max felt the sarcasm, and she agreed that fate was really cruel to Rachel. “I’m here with you so I guess we’re not buried that far away,” she joked along.

 

“Hold up,” Rachel raised a hand. “If the junkyard is my Afterlife Land, then why are you here? You’re supposed to have an Afterlife Land of your own, right?”

 

Max took a moment to consider Rachel’s words. “That… makes sense. Maybe it takes time?”

 

The other girl sprinted off the hood and rushed to Max, gripping her hands. “No, Max. Don’t you see? You’re not dead.”

 

“What?” Max gasped, “No way. I-I was shot!” She pointed at her stomach. “Right here!” Rachel immediately punched at Max’s belly. “Ouch! Why would you do that?”

 

“Oh, God, Max. You feel pain!” Rachel exclaimed, pulling back. “I never feel pain here. This is my painless palace. I don’t know how but I have a feeling that you aren’t here completely.”

 

Max shook her head, not being able to believe what she was listening. “B-But… I was shot. I-I bled a lot.”

 

“It doesn’t mean that you’re certainly dead. Chloe might have brought you to the hospital in time!” Rachel clasped her hands together. “Max, you’re alive!”

 

It seemed like what Rachel thought was true. The scenery around them slowly faded away, leaving a blanket of darkness behind. “Everything is disappearing. Do you see that?”

 

Rachel looked around and shook her head. “No. I think our time is up.” The girl faced Max again, holding her shoulders tightly. “Max, if you meet Chloe again, please tell her that she was my angel, too, okay?”

 

The desperation in Rachel’s voice along with her sharp gaze that was fading away made Max nod. “I will. Anything else?”

 

“And thank you, Max Caulfield.” Half of Rachel’s face had blended into the dark. “For being there for Chloe now.”

 

Rachel disappeared. The junkyard did too. Max stood alone in the hollow space, hugging her stomach. It hurt again, so badly. Her head began to ache, losing its grip on consciousness.

 

Max fell. Her back never hit the ground.

 

She kept falling until she didn’t feel anything else anymore.

  
  
  


___________________

  
  
  
  


**_Monday, October 21st,..._ **

  
  


The soreness was the first thing Max noticed. It started at the end of her spines, then her skin was on fire. The kind of fire that sent countless needles jabbing on her arms, her hands, her legs, her feet. Max wanted to move but she couldn’t.

 

“...ugh,” she whined, feeling something on her face. It blocked the movement of her nose when she scrunched it up. Letting out a hard breath, Max relaxed her face. She tried not to notice the irritating rubs of limitation on her face, her neck, her limbs, and eventually lifted the eyelids.

 

Brightness.

 

Too bright.

 

Max winced again, not keeping her eyes completely shut but let them adjust to the light.

 

The focus returned eventually, and Max saw white. Slowly, she recognized bed sheets, wires, windows, tree branches. Her eyes darted to the left. There was a small counter with a bouquet of flower along with a note on it.

 

When she reached out to it, the pain sitting in her guts twisted, making her grunt. The index finger felt heavier than usual. Max followed her instinct and pressed on the little device strapped around it. A soft buzz echoed in the air, followed by footsteps.

 

The door of the hospital room opened, revealing a doctor and a nurse. Their faces expressed shock, surprise, and relief.

 

The doctor yelled out something before rushing to Max’s bed, putting the stethoscope on and checked her vitals. She let him because she needed to do some thinking herself, but he didn’t do the same.

 

“Hello, Ms. Caulfield. My name is Doctor Adams. Very nice to meet you.”

 

Max opened her mouth to reply with something but it felt so dry. In the end, she could only cough out a breathy word. “Hi…”

 

Doctor Adams smiled down at her, putting the cold head of the stethoscope back in the pocket of his coat. “Maxine, we have informed your family. They will be here shortly. Before that, I’ll do some test and make sure that you’re in a good shape, okay?”

 

Everything happened right after that didn’t stay much in Max’s head. There were a lot of people coming into the room, mostly doctors and nurses. She was expecting to see her parents or Chloe, and had thought about asking someone about it but she could barely make a word. Time passed by slowly, and Max had a lot of thoughts in her mind.

 

How long had it been?

 

The fateful Monday when Chloe was supposed to be shot in the girls’ bathroom by Nathan had been rewinded over and over in Max’s mind, she felt like she was still standing in that place with the camera in her hands. Instead, she was lying on the bed, probably had been stuck here for a while.

 

Speaking of which, she wanted to find it.

 

Stomping sounds could be heard. The nurses startled, turning to the door as it burst open. Deep in Max’s heart, she could tell who would make such sound.

 

“Max!” Chloe shouted with a grin and rushed to the bed. Max was surprised at first because she didn’t recognize Chloe. Her friend wasn’t wearing a jacket or a beanie. Chloe dressed in a simple skull T-shirt, a pair of ripped jeans, boots, and her hair was still blue. At least something didn’t change. Chloe Price looked absolutely alive and healthy. “You’re awake!”

 

The nurses got spooked by how Chloe approached Max, but she raised one hand to signal to them that it was fine.

 

Chloe spread her arms to hug Max, but retreated in the last moment and grabbed her hand instead. “Holy shit, Max Caulfield. Back from the dead!” Tears began to stream down Chloe’s face, but she was smiling like she had just won the lottery.

 

Max opened her mouth, trying to call Chloe’s name, but nothing much came out of her lips but another breathy  _ hi _ . Tears welled up in her eyes as well, and she gripped on Chloe’s hands, not wanting her to go.

 

“I’m here. I’m here,” Chloe held her hands tightly. “I will be here with you. I bet your parents will come soon. They were at my house when I called. My mom will come too! Oh my God, Max, they would be so happy!”

Just like Chloe had said, Max’s parents ran into the room. She easily saw the bags under their eyes, but they seemed relieved. Her dad burst into tears while her mom couldn’t speak for a few first moments, just holding her hand. Joyce and David expressed their gratitude toward Max over and over for saving Chloe while Chloe constantly called Max  _ a hero _ . She had the most bizzare morning ever and she couldn’t stop crying. The emotion was so overwhelming in her chest, Max thought she would pass out again.

 

Apparently, Max had been in a coma for two weeks after being shot, and a lot of things had happened since then. She was glad that most of the events were reserved: Nathan got arrested, spilling out everything about the Dark Room and Jefferson. Soon enough, Rachel Amber’s body was discovered. The whole town was shocked when the truth was revealed and everyone was still careful about their words.

 

Max saw it clearly in the way her parents, Chloe’s parents, and even Chloe herself avoided talking about the horrible things that had happened. They thought she had no idea but it was the opposite. Max was curious about everything, and when she found her voice again, she asked anyone around about the events in the weeks she had missed.

 

Sadly, Kate’s video was still spread, but due to the shooting in the bathroom and what came after, nobody paid too much attention to it. Still, Kate had moved to another school. The Prescotts had to face  _ a lot _ of charges, especially when James Amber, the DA, personally made it his quest to bring down the family whose heir had killed his daughter. Warren came to visit Max a lot, according to her parents.

 

To Max’s surprise, Victoria Chase came once. Chloe was also in the room so she didn’t stay for long, just wishing Max a quick recovery and left. It was nice, at least, to see an unexpected positive outcome. Victoria was never taken to the Dark Room, and Kate’s video didn’t have its chance to ruin her life as much as in the other timeline.

 

Rachel’s father came to visit Max once, briefly. James expressed his gratitude toward Max for being the catalyst that led others to the truth behind Rachel’s disappearance. The pain in his eyes was so great, but there was also peace in it. He finally knew what happened to his daughter, but Max sensed anger in his voice. He was also the only person who told Max about Mark Jefferson’s fate. The bastard would go to jail for a really long time, and nothing pleasant was promised.

 

“What do you want to do first after getting out of here?” Chloe asked when the movie finished. She turned off the screen and stretched on the chair next to Max’s bed. They had been doing this for the last few days after Max had woken up. Her parents told Chloe she didn’t have to stay but her friend insisted on doing it. “Wherever you want to go, I’ll take you there. I have a ride now.”

 

Max smiled, leaning on the pillow placed behind her back. “That’s really cool of you, but I think I’ll just stay indoors first.”

 

Chloe rolled her eyes, “Max, you’ve been on this bed for over two weeks! You need some fresh air, sister!”

 

Max shrugged, “I have no idea, to be honest. What do people usually do after being shot? Going back to school?”

 

The joke rolled between them. Chloe laughed but Max knew she wasn’t that funny. They hadn’t even talked about Rachel or the postponed friendship. “I read online that you might want to avoid the place that would remind you of the place where you got shot.” Chloe scratched her neck, “Maybe Blackwell isn’t a good choice. We can go to Two Whales Diner. Mom would be really thrilled to see you there.”

 

“Let’s do that then.”

  
  
  
  


______________________________________

  
  
  
  


**_Monday, October 28th,..._ **

  
  
  


Max took a deep breath to move her legs. It was still quite tricky for her to walk independently, but she had made a lot of progress. Her dad had to return to work but her mom stayed back to take care of her. They acted a bit weird to Joyce and Chloe, but Max supposed it was because their daughter was almost dead instead of Chloe. It was generally awkward for everyone.

 

Still, Joyce had been really kind to let Max’s parents, Ryan and Vanessa, stay at her house while Max was still in the coma and they hadn’t had the mind to get a shelter. Max had always found it weird that her parents never took her back to Arcadia Bay to visit the Prices, but they told her that Chloe and Joyce needed time and space.

 

Max didn’t really care about it anymore. She was finally back, and she planned to make it up to Chloe and Joyce. It had to be done, especially after what she had learned that could happen in another timeline.

 

“Sit down, sweetie,” Vanessa suggested, quickly rushing to Max. “I’ll take you to the chair.”

 

“No, I can do this,” Max disagreed, slowly moved to the wheelchair. Doctor Adams told her that it would take her some time to walk normally again.  _ Months. _ “I have to do this.” With her mother’s helping hand, Max successfully sat in the wheelchair.

 

It was the day Max left the hospital. Another Monday.

 

Chloe and Warren were already waiting outside, helping Vanessa with the bags. Warren showed Max a lot of gifts and notes from everyone from Blackwell on the trip back to Chloe’s house. Max sat between Warren and her mother in the backseat, listening to the exciting plan they had planned out for her, while Chloe was driving the truck, constantly looking into the mirror to check on her. She smiled and made an  _ ok _ sign so her friend would be reassured.

 

Chloe’s smirk was as bright as the sun that day.

 

Joyce and David made a little welcome party that made Max’s eyes teary, but she didn’t care if she would look gross. She was so happy to see the smile on everyone’s face. It felt almost like a dream as if the time was still playing tricks in her mind. It could take all of this away any minute to punish her for what she had done.

 

Max would just enjoy every second as long as it lasted.

  
  
  
  


____________________________________

  
  
  
  
  


“Are you still mad at me-” Max asked Chloe when they were lying on the bed in Chloe’s room, looking up at the ceiling and listening to a mix Chloe had made. “-for not trying to contact you all these years?” She had been staying at Chloe’s for a few months, and she was able to walk in short distance again. Vanessa had rented a small apartment for the both of them to stay until Max graduated, but Max still spent a lot of time here more. Just like before.

 

“A little,” answered Chloe, “but you made it up to it when you took a bullet for me. You might have gone MIA for five years, but when I can’t count on anyone, not even myself, you were there. It’s like a dream come true. You are my hero, Max.”

 

The warmth radiated from Chloe’s words made Max’s eyes water. “I’m sorry.”

 

“For what? Don’t apologize.” Chloe rolled over and faced Max. “I could have died in that stinky bathroom if it wasn’t for you. Thank you.”

 

Max turned to her friend, wincing a bit because of the wound. “You’re welcome.”

 

Their eyes just held for a long second before Chloe grinned, “I got a job.”

 

“What? That’s amazing!” Max grabbed her friend’s hands. “What is it?”

 

“Fixing cars. It’s nothing big…” Chloe trailed off, but joy glowed in her eyes. “I’ll work downtown five days a week as an apprentice first.”

 

“That’s such a great news! I’ve always known you have a mechanical talent.” Max laughed out loud.

 

“Bullshit,” Chloe rolled her eyes.

 

“You fixed my bike, remember?” Max jokingly punched her friend’s shoulder, “And my scooter!”

 

“Fixing a scooter is nothing like fixing a car, Max.”

 

“You gotta start somewhere,” she shrugged, not letting Chloe’s attitude ruin her happiness for the stubborn, risky blue-haired girl. “I’m so glad for you.”

 

Chloe’s mouth curved up in a smirk. “My mom was totally freaked. I think she cried. I guess I’m no longer a dead weight.”

 

“You’ve never been a dead weight.” Max frowned, faking a pout. “Or else I wasted my blood saving your ass. Promise me you would think of me every time you want to think of yourself as a dead weight.”

 

“Fine, fine, boss.” Chloe chuckled, reaching one hand out to tuck a strand of hair off Max’s face. The gesture made Max’s heart beat faster, and she let it happen. Chloe let her hand wander, brushing the fingers on Max’s cheek, muttered, “Anything for you.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Max worked up her courage and asked, “Kiss me?”

 

Chloe’s eyes widened a bit, then formed a knowing smile. “Are you sure? I mean, I’m pretty irresistible. You might not want to stop.”

 

Max huffed, turning over to lay on her back. “Okay, then. I’ll just ask someone else.”

 

“Don’t.” Chloe crouched over Max, towering above her with intensity in her eyes. “You can’t take it back.”

 

Max looked up at Chloe, smiling. “What if you’re so irresistible that I can’t stop?”

 

“Then don’t stop.” Chloe’s cheeks got pinker. “I don’t want you to stop.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Max patiently waited until Chloe’s lips met hers. It was shy. Nothing like their first daring kiss in another timeline, full of surprise, or the other one under the rain, full of farewell and tears. This was timid, soft, and careful. They took their time, measuring the other’s movement. Max saw fire behind her eyes, and she pulled Chloe closer to that flame.

 

Finally, she got to hold Chloe like this again, but it didn’t feel like a goodbye.

 

It was a beginning.

  
  
  
  


__________________________________

  
  
  
  
  


“I was surprised you wanted to come here.”

 

Max stood up from the grass, not wiping away the dirt from her knees. Turning back to face Chloe, she smiled. “I have to see her.”

 

They stood in the light wind. Here in Arcadia Bay Cemetery laid many tombstones, and they were next to the newest one.  _ Rachel Dawn Amber _ was carved on it, and the numbers below indicated a short-lived life, but the flowers indicated the impact the person buried under it had made. For a long while, the media had poked their nose into the story of Rachel’s death, and the Ambers had tried their best not to let anyone feed on their poor daughter’s demise. Along with Chloe, Max had not given any reporter a single detail about Rachel. The town of Arcadia Bay had become famous because of deaths and destruction, which was unfortunate.

 

“Rachel would be glad to have a visitor,” Chloe crouched down and yanked some weeds out from the ground. “She loved being adored.”

 

“I bet she was loveable, too,” Max added, putting a hand on Chloe’s shoulder.

 

The blue-haired girl stood up and stepped back. They returned to the car parked not too far away, hand in hand, letting the wind brush gently over them. Suddenly, a movement was heard from a bush nearby.

 

“Oh my God…” Max exclaimed as her eyes laid on a doe, walking confidently toward them. Chloe gasped, standing still.

 

“It’s beautiful.”

 

The doe paused in front of them. Max felt like it was looking at her, so she didn’t drop her gaze. There was an odd sensation running through her as if she had met this creature before.

 

The animal walked past them, approached Rachel’s grave, going around the tombstone and then returned to the woods like it had never come.

 

“That was weird,” Chloe commented, chuckling.

 

“Maybe that was Rachel,” Max said, half-jokingly.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“I met her, you know,” Max admitted.

 

Chloe looked over her shoulder, doubtful. “When?”

 

“In the coma. I met her at the junkyard.”

 

The tall girl in beanie didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t say Max was bluffing. “Did she say anything?”

 

“She told me to tell you that you were her angel.”

 

Chloe froze for a second, then grinning. “That sounds like something Rachel would say.”

 

Max brought Chloe’s hand up to her lips, pressing a quick kiss on the knuckles. “I know you miss her.”

 

The grin faltered a bit on Chloe’s face, then turned into a content smile. “Rachel Amber will never be forgotten.”

 

“Never.”

**Author's Note:**

> I watched the gameplay of LiS and BTS and this possibility got stuck in my head ever since.
> 
> Tell me what you think below.


End file.
